NHLBI

When Grace Anne Dorney Koppel was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe, her doctors told her she had 3-5 years to live. She had that conversation with her doctor nearly two decades ago. Today, she is a passionate advocate for COPD research and treatment. Noting that COPD patients have had the same treatments for 30 years, Koppel said “the clock is ticking and we cannot breathe.” Koppel, president of the Dorney-Koppel Foundation, joined other speakers at a Research!America Capitol Hill briefing on November 15, 2017 that highlighted ongoing challenges with COPD research funding and access to treatment. She said the...

“Though we’ve been gloried in success, we still have unfinished business” when it comes to tackling cardiovascular disease, said NHLBI Director Dr. Gary Gibbons, highlighting the findings of a new American Heart Association-commissioned analysis at an event in Washington, D.C. last week. The report presented data on what lies ahead in cardiovascular disease prevalence and costs over the next few decades. Projections found more than 131 million people – or about 45 percent of the U.S. population – could suffer from cardiovascular disease by 2035, and annual costs related to this – both direct medical costs and lost productivity – could surpass $1 trillion; that’s more than all other chronic...

Cardiovascular disease – including stroke – is the top killer of women, said Dr. Maria Duca of Virtua Health System Cardiology Group during a February 6 Women and Heart Health briefing organized by WomenHeart and the American Heart Association . “We are dying less in the last several years but we are still dying more than men,” Duca said. “It’s a women’s disease.” The briefing was one of many events that will take place nationwide in observance of American Heart Month in February. In particular, WomenHeart sought to educate women about their unique cardiovascular disease risk factors and provide them with the appropriate steps to take in addressing those factors. “Our mission is to empower...

Dear Research Advocate: People everywhere are captivated by the world-class athletes competing at the Winter Olympics. The personal commitment, dedication and motivation on display is certainly an essential ingredient for medalling, but it is not sufficient: Each nation fielding a team must commit to supporting sustained excellence. And both the public and private sectors play a role. There are some interesting parallels to science and innovation ’ we don’t see it in the public eye every day but when it comes to the fore, it’s the kind of success that affirms the human spirit in a compelling way. When lives are saved with a new therapy or new vaccine, we all take heart and we...